Patients wanted by medical school
Published On Wed 26 Aug 2015 by Grant Hill
The University of Dundee is recruiting volunteers to play the role of patients and help train the next generation of doctors, dentists and nurses.
The University’s School of Medicine is appealing for members of the public to join its Patient Bank Programme in the Clinical Skills Centre at Ninewells Hospital. The Centre offers a realistic clinical setting for students to practice communication and practical skills and the facilities include consultation rooms, demonstration rooms and a simulation suite.
Volunteers are asked to act as simulated patients in a variety of situations on their health journey from initial assessment as an outpatient, through admission and treatment in hospital and on to follow-up care after discharge.
Previously, students learned their examination skills and communication skills by talking to, and examining, patients on hospital wards. This meant that their experience was variable, and placed a great demand on hospital patients recovering from serious illnesses. The students now learn these skills by working with volunteers from the local community, which reduces variation and protects “real” patients, while bringing the students’ education to life.
Ben Shippey, Director of the Clinical Skills Centre, said, “Members of the public have the opportunity to make a real difference. By giving even a few hours a week they can greatly contribute to the training of our medical and nursing students and help them to gain valuable experience. By putting their life experience to good use, volunteers will be performing a valuable public service while also meeting new people.
“Our Clinical Simulation Suite allows students to bring together all their skills and practice them safely in a healthcare environment, which prepares them for the workplace. They learn the theory and knowledge that underpins their professional role in the classroom and lecture theatre, but putting that knowledge into practice is an entirely different proposition. Dealing with volunteer patients brings entirely new challenges and tests not only their technical, but also their communication, patient care and decision making skills.”
All new recruits to the programme attend an informal Induction Workshop to give them information on their role as volunteers. They are also taught to describe symptoms that healthcare students will then be required to cope with and are made up with cuts, bruises and other features that help create realistic and challenging scenarios for students.
Simulated and clinical patients have been providing an invaluable service as volunteer members of the clinical skills team since 1997. The unique teaching facilities at Ninewells featuring a six-bed hospital ward, three examination rooms and a High Dependency Unit, all built and equipped to the latest NHS standards.
Specialist IT, audio and visual technologies allows all activity within the suite to be recorded for the review and storage of both individual student and team practice and also have the potential to not only prepare healthcare practitioners but enable the NHS to redesign systems of care and patient safely.
More information and details about how to register are available by visiting http://patientbank.dundee.ac.uk or calling 01382 383300.
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277